Development of Ecological Strategies for the Recovery of the Main Nitrogen Agricultural Pollutants: A Review on Environmental Sustainability in Agroecosystems

Daniela Losacco, Valeria Ancona, Domenico De Paola, Marina Tumolo, Carmine Massarelli, Angela Gatto and Vito Felice Uricchio
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Daniela Losacco: Water Research Institute-Italian National Research Council (IRSA-CNR), 70132 Bari, Italy
Valeria Ancona: Water Research Institute-Italian National Research Council (IRSA-CNR), 70132 Bari, Italy
Domenico De Paola: Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources-Italian National Research Council (IBBR-CNR), 70126 Bari, Italy
Marina Tumolo: Water Research Institute-Italian National Research Council (IRSA-CNR), 70132 Bari, Italy
Carmine Massarelli: Water Research Institute-Italian National Research Council (IRSA-CNR), 70132 Bari, Italy
Angela Gatto: Water Research Institute-Italian National Research Council (IRSA-CNR), 70132 Bari, Italy
Vito Felice Uricchio: Water Research Institute-Italian National Research Council (IRSA-CNR), 70132 Bari, Italy

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 13, 1-17

Abstract: Nitrogen (N) is a fundamental nutrient for plant growth and for the performance of biological functions. In agroecosystems, nitrogen fertilization is aimed at providing a suitable N dose for crop growth, avoiding the impoverishment or the improper enrichment of nitrogen compounds in soil. The high application of nitrogen fertilizers is the main cause of the increase in nitrate leaching and loss of the quality of natural resources (groundwater and soil). In the last decades, new sustainable technological approaches have been developed and applied on laboratory and field scales to reduce the impacts of nitrogen pollution on the environmental matrices and to improve the sustainability of agricultural management. This review highlights the results of the implementation of sustainable remediation new strategies to reduce pollution from a main agricultural contaminant (nitrate) and describes the benefits obtained from the use of these solutions in agroecosystems.

Keywords: nitrogen fertilization; nitrate leaching; agricultural pollution; sustainable remediation strategies; biochar (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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